Leitrim Village is the kind of place the word “local” was made for, and it’s a fifteen-minute walk from your lodge. MJ O’Connor’s Bar — which shares a thread of history with the Drumhierny estate itself — keeps a proper snug, live music at the weekend, and an outdoor terrace looking over the Shannon.
A little further on, Beirnes of Battlebridge sits beside the oldest crossing point on this stretch of the river. The bridge earned its name the hard way: in 1270 the Battle of Áth an Chip was fought here, ten thousand men, and the Normans driven from the field. Today the stakes are lower — a beer by the water, a barbecue in the garden.
Drumshanbo is ten minutes by car (or a long, lovely cycle up the Blueway): home of The Shed Distillery, where Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin and a single pot still whiskey are made, with tours and a visitor experience that smells as good as it tastes. The Joe Mooney Summer School fills the town with traditional music every July.